KUALA TERENGGANU – The Terengganu government has been urged to find a solution to be implemented quickly, to resolve the alarming problem of domestic violence in the state.
Assemblyman Zuraida Md Noor said based on police statistics, there were 288 such cases in the state last year.
“The one-stop crisis centre (OSCC) at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ) recorded 114 cases of domestic violence from January to August.
“The cases reported include rape and sodomy, as well as domestic abuse involving children,” she said when debating the motion of thanks on the address by Terengganu’s Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin during the state assembly sitting here today.
What is most worrying is that victims who report such incidents are threatened so as to “keep the family’s honour”, she said.
She said her discussions with the HSNZ OSCC found that the management of domestic violence victims becomes “complicated” after office hours and during public holidays.
“Often, the victims are told to return home after receiving treatment as there is no shelter for them. When OSCC phones them again during working hours, most of the victims say they do not want to continue with the procedure.
“What is even more unfortunate is that the victims continue to be exposed to threats.”
Despite the availability of welfare institutions under the Social Welfare Department, including the Taman Sinar Harapan temporary shelter, the overall process takes a long time and is conducted only during business hours, she said.
“There is a lack of temporary shelters that operate 24 hours a day where we can house victims pending investigation by the authorities.” – Bernama, September 14, 2021
